LONDON CALLING

Jessie moved to the couch and sat with Abby pulling out a small note book and some colored pend he had seen in a small draw under the coffee table he smiled at her. "You want to draw?" he asked holding out a pink pen to her.

"there you are Abby." Jess said coming from down a corridor " She wanted to play hide and seek, hum she hid too well" Jess said and chuckled seeing every one with drinks " Im guessing all went well?" seeing Jessie engaged with Abby Jess looked to Robert. " I was putting potions away, Abby was right beside me, no she didn't touch any she just passed me them, guess she heard you lot returning and came to welcome you home."

Jessie looked at his attempt at a drawing of a cat and shook his head. " Abby could you give me some pointers" he said knowing he'd left off the ears and tail and made it a blue cat.

Abbey watched Jessie as he drew a rather sad looking cat. She took the pen and added ears and a squiggly line for a tail. Then she put a big red dot beside the cat.

"What's that?" Michael asked her, pointing at the dot.

"Berries!" she said, delighted.

"A blue cat that eats berries?" Michael asked. She nodded.

"Sounds like the makings of a good story," Robert said. "I'm glad you're here at least, Jess. Where the heck is everybody? Abbey said that Khaat and Brian are both gone. I haven't seen any adults until you showed up just now. It looks like I might have to reprimand Brian. I grounded him until further notice." He presumed Khaat went to work but that was no excuse for Brian leaving.

"Sounds like everyone thought someone else was watching her," Michael said. "It's a good thing you were here, Jess, but yes, it went well. The bottom line is that Jessie did a wonderful job assisting Robert, and Robert used one of Thaor's old spells and pasted Gelding up on his own ceiling. If there's a nice part about it, neither Robert or I can remember the countercurse, so Gelding is liable to be up there until hell freezes over." He paused and then had a wicked thought. It made him laugh.

"What are you thinking about?" Robert asked.

"My boggart," Michael said, with the glint of pure mischief on his mind.

"Long story, but Michael is one of the few people that actually delights in having a boggart in a box in his basement," Robert told Jessie. "And, so, Michael, what are you thinking of doing with said boggart?"

"I might let him loose in Gelding's office. No point in letting Gelding get bored hanging around up there. I'm sure my boggart would love to entertain him." Robert laughed out loud, thinking of Gelding stuck to the ceiling and haunted by Michael's boggart.

"You might not get him back, though," Robert said.

"Well, one does have to make sacrifices sometimes," Michael replied with mock drama in his voice.

"Oh, brother," Robert shook his head. "I've created a monster."

"No, but I might be about to doing just that," Michael laughed.

Jessie looked up and at the mention of a boggert in a box he leaned over to Abby " whats a boggert?" he whispered " oh I love blue berries, my mamma makes a mean blueberry pie, bet not as good as your mamma though." he looked over at Jack who was bursting with laughter at the mention of the boggert.

"Um...a boggert like a house elf, sir?"Jessie asked " coz that would be fun to watch." he drew some grass and a sun set then added a doggo to the pic. A yellow one.  with a hugh smile on its face as it sat next to a large pile of red berries. He watched Jess head to the kitchen, as she passed him she lightly patted his shoulder.

"Good job" she said and looked at Abby " would you like some berries?" she asked her heading to the fridge and taking out a bowl of strawberries" fresh from the garden this morning, and Michael your mean but he would deserve it after that attack on Brian, I did tell him to rest but you know Brian." she shook her head placing a hand full of fresh washed berries in Abbys bowl.

Jess stood up and stragtened out his back a little " I should clean and put the gear back." he said taking out the swiss army knife and bo from his pocket. " I was always taught to keep my gear clean and at the ready" he told them before moving down the corridor befoe stopping and sighing. " which way was it again?" he asked and Jack chuckled as he stood up too.

"follow me" he said and they headed down to the weapons room together. Jess chuckled and loked at both michael and Robert. " he'll get there, eventualy" she said

"No, definitely not like a house elf," Robert said. "A boggart is a shapeshifting spirit that senses your very worst fears and then shifts into that shape to deliberately scare the everloving daylights right out of you."

Abbey perked up at the mention of berries. It was one of the top ways to distract Abbey if one would simply offer her some berries. Her eyes lit up when she saw the little bowl of berries Jess gave her.

"That will keep her for a minute or two," Robert said. He watched Jack take Jessie underwing and take him down to the weapons locker. "I think you're right, Jess. I think he's going to be fine. If we can spare Jack this afternoon, I'd like him to take Jessie to Venice and get him outfitted with clothes. He didn't bring much of anything with him, so I think it's safe to say he needs everything. I think Kate enjoyed having him at our table last night, so he is certainly welcome at our farm until he either chooses to find something else or decides perhaps that he'd maybe like one of the cabins here on the grounds. I'm hoping he gets into the routine of joining Jack and the others at the morning workout. The quicker he gets to know people, the quicker he'll get past some of that anxiety he's dealing with from being the new guy."

Jess nodded at Roberts sugestion " Jack would love that, he wants to show off I think in regards his build." she said chuckaling " and Jessie would be perfect, there about the same biuld, agreed hes coping well but just needs that stability I think. " she picked up some tea and moved to sit facing Abby " the VA hospital didn't help much, I found his medical file at St Mungo's" she said her tone telling he'd had a rough time of it. " Muggles always lable anything they don't understand as PTSD."

Jessie walked with jack down to the equipment rooms. " so how'd you get your scar?" he asked seeing one on Jacks side. Jack chuckled and lifted his shirt a little.

"This thank my brother for it" he said Jesie could hear the hate in his voice. " turned me as a kid, left me to die in a forest but I fought back, thanks to Robert and his family, you'd do well to stay loyal to them, there good people, very good people."

Jessie nodded as he took off his tee and showed him his scars. " got these on duty" he said simply Jack nodded and placed his hand on Jessie's shoulder.

"the scars don't make us, we chose what we are and what we do, your a good man, Robert can see that in you, or you'd have been left in that alley he found you in." Jessie chuckled and nodded.

Now changed both men walked back to the living room hearing robert mention a cabin or staying on the farm. " Sir, if its all right with you I'd like to stay on the farm with yourself and Kate." He looked at Jack and spoke again " no offence but two of us on the same territoy might be a bit much." he said Jack folded his arms and nodded.

"Hum..I see your point" Jack said "It would double your defences having a werewolf here and one on the farm?" Jack looked at Jessie and saw him yawn. "Seems we wore out the puppy."

Jessie groaned at the nick name, at lest it wasn't newbie. Jess looked at Jack and spoke " Jack you need to take Jessie to your tailor for clothes." she said seeing Jack raise his eye brow he then nodded.

"First thing in the morning, Venice here we come, your gonna love it."Jack teased Jessie. But Jessie knew he had to get clothes.

"I've got some things at my mamma's that she'll send over once i'm settaled, hope thats okay?" he asked

"Well, from what Lee told me," Robert replied to Jess, " Jessie might have good reason to have some emotional scars from the trauma he's been through. Sometimes the muggles do get part of it right, even if they don't know what to do with it. In my experience, though, and I think you've had some of the same experiences, sometimes trauma heals best by being with people who understand and accept you and care for you unconditionally. Remus would have completely understood how Jack and Jessie feel. We gave him that unconditional acceptance, but he discounted it to some extent because we were family. We were supposed to accept him, but Tonks was a different story. She didn't have to accept him, but she did. And that made all the difference. It provided him with healing he would never have had otherwise."

He watched Jack and Jessie return, and he listened as Jessie said he wanted to stay with Kate and him. Robert nodded. That was fine with him. It wasn't as if they hadn't dealt with a werewolf trying to learn to adjust to what he had become. They'd been certainly through it before.

"I think that's wise," Robert said. "That's fine with me, and I'm sure it will be fine with Kate. Your mum is certainly welcome to send your things, of course. Jack, would you be alright with getting him started in the morning with the standard morning workout routine? You might want to go a little easy on him for the first day so you can see for yourself if he is ready for all that. Most of our guys have to sort of step into it. It can be a little adjustment. And when you take him to Venice, have Jessie's initial allocation of clothes put on my tab. He can pay for his own additions after that once he starts getting a paycheck. Make sure they know they'll need to keep a few things on hand in his size because, as you know, clothing can be a disposable item for you two. Then take him for a walk down Diagon Alley and Knockturn so that he has some idea what the lay of the land is there. He's wanted to check out Sparks anyway. We'll try to get to Hogsmeade perhaps in one of the first nice nights that isn't a full moon. Michael has been looking for an excuse to fire up his grill in the back garden, and he is an extraordinary cook."

"Jessie, I apologize that you haven't had more than a few minutes with Brian. I'm going to kill him good and proper when he gets home, and then he should have time for you after that. I want you to get to know him, if I ever let him off the hook for this."

Abbey finished her berries but her tummy was still rumbling. She left the empty berry bowl and went over to Jess.

"Sammich?" She asked her, hopeful of getting a sandwich.

"It probably is getting time for lunch," Robert said. "I presume you can put something together for us, Jess? Maybe something better than a 'sammich'?"

"I can help you if you like, Jess," Michael offered.

Jessie looked at Jack who smiled and nodded " of course " Jack said Jessie smiled when Robert agreed to let him stay with them this left him feeling relaxed. when Robert spoke of putting the clothes on his tab he was about to intervine but Jack placed his hand on his shoulder. " its okay" he simply said and Jessie once more relaxed.

Jess smiled and shook her hed "Thankyou Michael, but I already prepared something, French lamb and cannellini bean casserole with rosemary dumplings." she turned to the oven and took out the casserole lifting the lid she let the delisious small roll out into the room, " I made string beans to go with it, steamed." Jack moved to help set the table and Jessie helped place down the glasses soon the table was ready

Jessie took a deep breath in and hummed at the smell that greeted him. "Smell wonderful Jess" he said Jack laughed

"Jess learned from the best, Kate, Angus and Michael" Jack said " and dosn't waste an opertunity to cook while home." with those words he kissed Jess's cheek. Jessie moved to pull out a chair for her as Jack sat next to Jess. Jessie waitied for Robert and Michael along with little Abby to sit before he sat down.

He looked out the window at the dark sky and hoped the full moon would not show anytime soon. " um..When is the next full moon?" he asked wondering just how much time he had before he had to struggle to control himself.

"Thank you, Jess," Robert said. He liked lamb, and her casserole sounded wonderful. Besides that, it certainly would be more filling and nutritious for Abbey than a "sammich."
Robert scooped up Abbey and took her to the dining room and sat her in the chair that they usually left a booster seat on for her. She didn't really care for the booster, but if they didn't, she was too short yet to be able to access the table like she needed to.

"It looks great," Robert said, dishing out a little plate for Abbey and then dishing up a plate for himself.

"You've done a fine job," Michael told her, taking his first bite. "I couldn't have done better myself. Well done.

"The full moon can last two or three nights before a werewolf is out of danger," Robert said. "Fortunately, I think last night was the last one for awhile. You should be good for another 29 days, but , just to be on the safe side, I would make sure you get a dose in before you spend any more time looking out that window--just in case I've made some sort of error with my calendar. Jack, I know you're on top of such things. Is he past the danger point tonight, so far as you know?"

Just then, Robert heard the distinct sound of someone apparating in. He excused himself and got up from the table and went into the living room. It was Angus.

"Where have you been?" Robert asked.

"With Kate," he said. "One of the men happened on a problem in the back quadrant. we knew Archangel wasn't feeling well, but we should have kept a better eye on him. A wolf got ahold of him and attacked him. We thought for awhile we were going to lose him. Kate and I took him into that new wizarding veterinarian in Diagon Alley, and she a remarkable job with him. Kate took him to the farm, and she's going to sit up with him tonight. We probably should keep it from Khaat, just for tonight, if we can help it. I don't think there's anymore that can be done to keep him comfortable. What he could use now is a good sleep and a tuck in to some meat in the morning."

"No rest for the weary, is there? If there's still a full moon tonight, you and I will be going out to the back quadrant to find that wolf pack. I thought Jack said they were going to be peaceable."

"But they still need to eat, Robert," Angus sighed.

"Alright. Come and eat." He returned to the table, and Angus came in and joined them, fixing a plate for himself.

"Smells wonderful," Angus said, "And I'm starving. My compliments to the cook."

"Jess," Robert looked at her. "I need you to occupy Abbey for a bit, please. Something's come up, and I need to talk to Jack and Jessie after we eat. We'll fill you in afterwards."

Jessie looked at Robert and breathed out but it ws Jack who spoke up " yeah hes good, just worrying over nothing" Jack said whern Angus apperated in and spoke he sighed. " I told them once, I have told them twice not to hunt in those lands." Jack said " Sorry Robert I'll deal with them" Jessie heard angus and nodded.

"agreed they do need to eat, but Jack already told them to hunt on the other side of the mountains." He stopped and became deep in thought "maybe somethings interupted there food sorce, scared it away so they had no choice but to hunt this side."

Jess smiled and placed a plate infront of Angus " its not as good as your cooking, but its filling" she said and sat next to Jack again.

Jack and Jessie looked at Robert and nodded " Yes sir" Jessie said Jack acknowlaged Robert as Jess nodded to him.

"of course it would be my pleasure." Jess said " how about I fill the bath with bubbles, once you've eaten then read you a story, you can pick." she asked Abby " or we can see the hypogriffs,"

Jessie sat quiet stunned at Jess's ease at keeping Abby entertained while they worked. Now he felt a pain behind his temple and winced at it. Taking out his flask he took a dose.

"Not gonna lie will get worse for a while, then ease off." Jack said as he ate a dumpling " it will get easier."

"Jessie," Robert said, "if you're having to take your medicine more than just a couple doses a day, you need to use the wolfsbane I make. Some potions makers don't realize that for bigger men, the formula needs to be concentrated. Jack and I had to make some adjustments to the wolfsbane I make for him because of that. You might need to have yours adjusted too. You might want to keep track when you take a dose so that we can see exactly what you're taking and when."

"Kitties!" Abbey said to Jess.

"She's talking about the new storybook Kate bought her. It's about kitties in pajamas or some such thing. That apparently is the story of the week this week," Robert said to Jess. "And somehow Kate found a pair of pajamas with a print fabric of kitties in pajamas. How she finds all this stuff, I will never ever know."

Angus tasted her casserole and looked at her. "This is top rate, Jess. Very nice. What would you say if we tweaked it just a tad, maybe putting it in a crust, and offering it as a lunch special at Sparks? We could make some sort of a fresh salad with the string beans in it as an accompaniment. I think it would certainly sell."

"I think it's a splendid idea," Michael said. "I've been tinkering with an idea for a chocolate orange cheesecake for Sparks. Maybe we can make it a package if I get the cheesecake refined enough."